This morning was nearly cloudless and warm as a coat pocket and tasted like spring. Towhees were singing, juncos were singing, finches were singing, chickadees were singing. In fact, dog and I encountered one particular chickadee cleaning out a nest cavity I saw in use last spring. The bird even posed for a photo.
While watching a few close-by dear on our blue-sky hike, I even got a little choked up with hope in this tumultuous world. For all the tumult, a lot of good exists on miraculous planet.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 09:21 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee 2. Dark-eyed Junco 3. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 4. American Robin** 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 7. House Finch** (v) 8. Pine Siskin** 9. Spotted Towhee 10. European Starling 11. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
12. Lesser Goldfinch (v) 13. Song Sparrow 14. House Sparrow (v)
Mammals
Mule Deer Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only * Also Elsewhere **Voice only Elsewhere
Been a lot of Pine Siskins around lately. For the past weeks, they’ve been showing up in twos and fours and sixes—sometimes dozens—but it seems late winter is when they really begin to make their presence known. And they do it in an endearing way: with their upbeat chattering and crazy wind-up calls and generally happy little voices.
This morning one sat singing very near as I angled for a photo. Thanks, siskin.
Otherwise, a nice bright, warmish morning hike with dog, with the usual deer and a dozen bird species total—including a random calling California Quail.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 08:55 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee 2. Pine Siskin** 3. Dark-eyed Junco 4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay** 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. House Finch** (v) 7. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 8. American Robin (v) 9. Song Sparrow** (v) 10. California Quail (v) 11. Spotted Towhee (v) 12. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
13. American Kestrel 14. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only * Also Elsewhere **Voice only Elsewhere
Coldest of a string of cold mornings, but calm and sunny enough to ensure a lovely hike with dog. Diminished snow (from yesterday’s mini-thaw) and no elk—but many deer, and a dozen good birds.
The most fun was—as usual—a surprise. While watching a band of chickadees flit through the junipers along the trail, I heard the harsh tell-tale calls of a Steller’s Jay. I see them rarely but always enjoy the peeks they afford me. And I heard a new vocalization today: a faint rapid series of clear notes. Just the black against the rich blue, I guess—along with the usual corvid personality.
Any time a bird species makes a surprising appearance, you can bet that’s a fun bird.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 08:46 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Pine Siskin 2. Dark-eyed Junco 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. American Robin** (v) 5. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 6. Song Sparrow* (v) 7. Rock Pigeon* 8. House Finch** (v) 9. Black-billed Magpie (v) 10. Steller’s Jay 11. Northern Flicker (v) 12. Spotted Towhee (v)
Elsewhere
13. Lesser Goldfinch 14. House Sparrow (v)
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only * Also Elsewhere **Voice only Elsewhere
